U.S. Pat. No. 6,594,951 issued 2003 teaches a planter having a false bottom containing a set of casters mounted to a common frame, which is raised or lowered via crank 26 which operates an internally situated scissor jack, to raise a planter for repositioning via the casters, or lower the pot to securely set the pot on the ground, and conceal the casters within the false bottom.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,715 teaches a “utility basket” having casters selectively used to transport the unit, which casters may be concealed in a false bottom.
U.S. Pat. No. 585,931 teaches a “Flower Pot Support” dated 1897 contemplating casters which may be selectively concealed in a false bottom or lowered to support the unit for movement.
U.S. Pat. No. 896,050 teaches a “Stove Caster” having vertically adjustable wheels for lifting or lowering the wheels for selective rolling of the unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,379,746 issued 1945 teaches a “Mop Pail” whereby casters are pivotally adjusted via connector rods from a raised, non-supporting position, to a lowered, supporting position whereby the pail may be rolled.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,853 issued 2000 teaches a planter having casters situated in a hidden bottom, although they do not appear adjustable.
While the prior art contemplates lifting devices for planters, baskets, pails or the like, the patents appear to rely upon mechanical devices to do the lifting, including scissor jacks, gears, pivots, or the like. These mechanical devices would tend to have limited lift capacity, are generally more expensive to manufacture, require maintenance and upkeep, and would appear to be more prone to failure when compared to the system of the present invention.